Timely reflection

Sir,

I read with interest in the Banner last Friday that there was to be a piper here in Kildonan for the Remembrance Sunday parade. We tried to find out the source of the information but were unable to and on the day we were pleased to welcome Jo Earle – thank you, Jo – here at the war memorial, though we are still in the dark as to who organised it.

It is perhaps timely therefore to reflect on the importance of November 11 Armistice Day parades as the memory of those shattering events drifts to distant memory and then fades into history. We are all very fortunate that there are those in this country who were and are prepared to fight desperately for our interests in the most radical and selfless way imaginable. Were it not for such gritty, determined people, many of us would not be here and few of us would enjoy the lifestyle we have come to enjoy or the freedom we take for granted.

We all have our own opinions of how to behave and interact with others and inevitably there will be differences between what youngsters think and what the older generations know. However, one truth will not go away, and that is, if we look after and help each other, we do seem to get more reward out of life than if we just look after ourselves.

So can we remember what has gone before in a positive way and just take a little time to appreciate what others do for us and what we can do for them?

Yours,

Rory Cowan, Kildonan.

Editor’s note: The event was organised by the Arran Pipe Band. See pages four and five.